Gas ejector apparatus for a catalyst regenerator



Dec. 9, 1952 G. A. WORN GAS EJECTOR APPARATUS FOR A CATALYST REGENERATOR Filed July a, 1948 INVEN TOR. Gauge 0%. Warn B Patented Dec. 9, 1 952 GAS EJECTOR APPARATUS FOR A CATALYST REGENERATOR George A. Worn, Greenwich, Conn-., assignor to The Lummus Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application July 8, 1948, Serial No. 37,665

This application is a division of my copending application; serial No. 606,439, filed July 21. 1945 and entitled Gas Ejection, said copending application'having matured into Patent No. 2,519,- 531 entitled, Ejector Apparatus.

In certain processes such as some of those employed in the refining of petroleum and its products, for example, an 'inert'gas' is often needed for a variety of purposes. For example, such a gas is required in the'regeneration of a solid catalyst which has been employed in a hydrocarbon conversion process and has become fouled with carbonaceous deposit. This deposit is burned from the catalyst by introduction of a combustion-supporting gas, such as air. to the regeneration zone. In order to control the combustion of the deposit and thereby control the heat generated within the regeneration zone it is customary to introduce to said zone inert gaseous media such as gaseous combustion products of fuel, usually liquid or gaseous. Such inert gaseous media are also employed for other purposes as, for example, a sealing purpose by exclusion of other gases from entry to zones where process steps are performed.

An important object of the present invention is to provide for improved generation and delivery of the inert gaseous media to process steps requiring such media.

. Another important object'o'f the inventionis to provide for improved generation and delivery of the inert gaseous media together with a combustion-supporting gas to a process step requiringthe two in admixture.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and from the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

The figure is a vertical sectional view of an improved ejector apparatus as employed for generating combustion gas and delivering same, together with air, to a catalyst regeneration chamber.

The ejector apparatus shown includes a tubular member la which forms a relatively small combustion chamber. At one end thereof said chamber bears a jet nozzle 2a. The tube la is formed of refractory material to render it resistant to heat, and the jet nozzle is also made of a heat-resistant material. The tube has numerous inlet ports 35 spaced therearound and therealong, and the outer end of the nozzle is closed except for a central aperture which accommodates a burner 3a for fluid fuel. The burner is directed axially of the combustion chamber and toward 4 Claims. (Cl. 230-101) the jet nozzle. Any suitable means may be employed for igniting the fuel at the burner, aspark plug 5 being indicated for that purpose. An entrainment nozzle or diffuser So, also of heatresistant material, is mounted in axial alignment with the jet nozzle to receive the jet discharged therefrom. In the present instance, the diffuser is of the Venturi type, being flared from a medial point outwardly to itsopposite ends. Its form may be varied, however.

A manifold 36 encloses the tubular chamber la, and a compressor 31 is connected to the manifold to deliver air under pressure thereto. This air flows through the ports 35 into thecombustion chamber to support combustion therein and produce the motive fluid for discharge by the jet nozzle 2a. A chest 6a encloses the nozzle and a portion of the diffuser 9a. The latter has a flange bolted to the chest around a hole therein. The chest is separated from the air delivery manifold 36 by a wall 38 and the chest is open to atmosphere through an intake passage. Louvers or dampers 39 may be provided in the intake passage to control the amount of air to be handled.

The diffuser 9a is in delivery connection with a pipe 40 having one or more branches 41 discharging into a chamber C which defines a zone to receive gaseous media under pressure. Such zone may, for example, be one in which contact is effected between gaseous media and a solid contact material in a divided state. There is indicated such a zone in the form of a catalyst regeneration chamber wherein granular catalyst, contaminated by employment in a hydrocarbon conversion process, for example, is regenerated by burning the contaminants therefrom. For that purpose, it is customary to charge the chamber with air for supporting the combustion therein and to dilute the air with gaseous products of combustion in order to control the combustion and thereby control the heat generated within the regeneration chamber. The present apparatus is well suited to that purpose. The continuous jet of products of combustion discharged by the nozzle 2a through the diffuser 9a entrains air within the chest 6a and delivers it under pressure into pipe 40 and through one or more of the branches 4! thereof to the chamber C. As indicated, the air and combustion gas may be delivered under pressure beneath hood-like baflles B within the chamber for distributed fiow through a mass of the catalyst.

While I have disclosed a satisfactory form and an advantageous employment of the invention same is susceptible of modification with respect to the structure of the apparatus and the employment thereof. It is obvious that the invention is well suited for supplying gaseous combustion products, either alone or together with another gas entrained thereby, for a variety of services other than those named herein. For exam-- ple, the invention may be employed to advantage for supplying a mixture of gaseous combustion products and air in regulated proportions to a coke oven for controlled combustion therein. It may also be employed for supplying a hot atmosphere of gaseous combustion products, with or without another gas, to metal billets in a socalled soaking treatment. Other advantageous employments of the invention are also possible. It will be understood, therefore, that the disclosure is merely illustrative and in nowise limiting and that the invention comprehends such modifications as fall with the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for supplying a catalyst regeneration chamber with combustion-supporting gas and gaseous products of combustion for controlled combustion of contaminants upon a catalyst within said chamber, comprising a combustion chamber, a burner therein, means for supplying said combustion chamber with combustion-supporting gas under pressure, a: constantly open jet nozzle in close proximity to and opening from said combustion chamber to discharge the gaseous combustion products therefrom under their ownpressure, a diifuser defining a Venturi passage disposed to receive through one end thereof the jet from said nozzle and also combustion-supporting gas for entrainment by the jet, and a gas delivery connection between the opposite end of the diffuserand the catalyst regeneration chamber.

2. Apparatus for supplying a catalyst regeneration chamber with combustion-supporting gas and gaseous products of combustion for controlled combustion of contaminants upon a catalyst within said chamber, comprising a combustion chamber, a burner therein, means for supplying said combustion chamber with combustion-supporting gas under pressure, a. constantly open jet nozzleinclose proximity to and opening from said combustion chamber. to discharge the gaseous combustion products therefrom under their own pressure, a diifuser defining a Venturi passage disposed to receive through one end thereof the jet from said'nozzle and also combustion-supporting gas for entrainment by the jet, adjustable means to control admission of said combustion-supporting gas to the diffuser and thereby control theamount of such gas en trained, and a gas delivery connection between ..theopposite end of the diffuser and the catalyst regeneration chamber.

3. Ejector apparatus comprising a diffuser, a constantly open jet nozzle disposed adjacent one end of said diifuser to discharge a jet of motive fluid into the diffuser, conduit means constructed and arranged to conduct to said end of the diffuser fluid to be entrained and exclude entry of other fluid, an elongated combustion chamber from which said nozzle opens directly, said chamber being formed of refractory material and having inlet ports spaced therealong and therearound, a burner within said combustion chamber, a manifold extending around the exterior of said chamber and opening into the chamber through said ports, and means for supplying combustion-supporting gas to said manifold for delivery into the combustion chamber through said ports.

4. Ejector apparatus comprising a diffuser, a constantly open nozzle disposed adjacent one end of said diffuser to discharge a jet of motive fluid into the diffuser, conduit means constructed and arranged to conduct to said endof the difiuser fluidto be entrained and exclude entry of other fluid, an elongated combustion chamber from which said nozzle opens directly, said chamber being formed of refractory material and having inlet ports spaced therealong andv therearound, a burner within said combustion chamber, a manifold extending around the exterior of said chamber and opening into the chamber through said ports, means for supplying combustion-supporting gas to said manifold for delivery into the combustion chamber through said ports, and adjustable means to control admission of gas to be entrained through said conduit to the diifuser and thereby control the amount of said gas entrained.

GEORGE A. WORN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 692,741 Wallmann Feb. 4, 1902' 1,375,601 Morize Apr. 19, 1921 1,806,020 Parker et a1 May 19, 1931 1,916,112 Maier June 27, 1933 2,167,655 Houdry Aug. 1, 1939 2,278,892 Nagle et al Apr. 7, 1942 2,344,770 Gunness Mar. 21, 1944 2,357,531 Mather et' al. Sept. 5., 1944 2,398,186 Loy Apr. 9, 1946 2,457,837 Simpson et al Jan. 4, 1949 2,458,359 Evans Jan. 4', 1949 Badger et al.: "Elements of Chemical Eng, 2nd ed., 1936, pgs. 86-87-. 

